This application claims the priority of German Application No. 101 16 662.1, filed Apr. 4, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method of monitoring the service life of ceramic brake disks.
German Patent Document DE 42 26 010 A1 discloses a method of monitoring the service life of vehicle components, in which the components have electric load sensors in highly stressed areas so that, during the driving operation, their obtained values can be transmitted to and stored in an analysis unit which provides a continuous analysis of the added values. Strain gauges are used as the load sensors for this method.
In comparison to the known method, the method according to the invention has the advantage that no additional load sensors are used. On the contrary, an analysis of the known sensed operating quantities, which already exists in the control unit, takes place such that as a result of a critical consideration of each individual braking operation and an adding-up of these individual braking operations, precise information can be obtained concerning the pre-existing wear of the brake disk. On the basis of this sensed wear, the service life of the brake disk can then be determined and, when a definable reference value is reached, the driver can be notified. This notification can take place visually or acoustically in the center console of the vehicle and indicate, for example, that a visit to the repair shop is due.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.